ABSTRACT

Russia is a country of village communities, which have for the most part ruled themselves, little regarding and little regarded by the Central Power. This local government largely resembles that of a family or clan, being based on religion and custom rather than on laws laid down by the State. In a State devoted primarily to the purposes of religion, there is little room for the mere pride of national patriotism; while on the other hand a real unity is felt with the rest of mankind, for Truth knows no frontiers. It is perhaps true that the Russian has taken a less firm hold upon Nature than upon the two other and still greater forms of Truth, spirit and God, and this is specially the case with that aspect of Nature which interests the man of science, her system of order or law; the Russian is deeply influenced by her, especially by her beauty and by her mystery and infinity.